How do you design an underwater scooter? Easy, start with a drone
What? You haven’t designed a drone? Shame on you
The move from the Geneinno S1 to to the Geneinno S2
The original underwater scooter — the S1 — followed the same pattern as the company’s drone, with Geneinno targeting divers and other marine professionals. But it quickly saw the potential in the wider market and it decided to build a product more suited to the consumer.
I asked Dr. Wang how Geneinno shifted the design from a B2B product, to a B2C.
One of the big aspects revolved around excitement. The S1 was designed to move divers slowly around a landscape, while the S2 had to be more fun. This meant, as Dr. Wang told me, increasing the motor efficiency.
Another change in this vein was switching out the removable battery in the S1 and using an in-built one in the S2. This, combined with a Bluetooth element that allows the underwater scooter to be controlled from afar, made it far more suitable for children and families.
Dr. Wang summed up the evolution as a design change of system, structure, and shape — all focused on making the S2 ideal to use for the general consumer.
What’s next for Geneinno?
The company is planning another edition of the S2, as the market for use in swimming pools and for casual users still has a lot of growth potential.
Apart from that, the company’s focus is trying to satisfy the needs of two very different user groups: those looking for a fun bit of kit, and professionals searching for high-quality equipment.
I’m excited to see where Geneinno goes next on its design journey. And at least now we know the answer to the question of how you design an underwater scooter: you simply start with a drone.
You can find more out aboutthe Geneinno S2 here.
Story byCallum Booth
Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting(show all)Callum Booth is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience. Previously, he was the Managing Editor of TNW, where his reporting was cited widely, including in VICE, the FT, and the BBC.
Callum’s writing has appeared in The Verge, The Daily Telegraph, Time Out, and many more. He covers the full spectrum of technology, with a particular focus on how it shapes our daily lives. And a lot of regulation stuff too.
Outside of work, Callum’s an avid bookworm, a Fisherman’s Friends addict, and resolutely unshaven. Follow him on Twitter @CallumBooth or visit www.callumbooth.net.
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